


An Apple a Day

by jasiel



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: 18 y/o Gloria and Hop, F/M, Love Confessions, Not at all a creative title I’m so sorry, PostwickShipping, obligatory Applin fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:53:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21979882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jasiel/pseuds/jasiel
Summary: Gloria’s just heard the meaning behind giving Applins to your most treasured person, and she just happens to have one in her party.
Relationships: Hop/Yuuri | Gloria
Comments: 12
Kudos: 250





	An Apple a Day

**Author's Note:**

> I tend to head canon the MC as mute but since Gloria has some lines of dialogue in the game I decided to just have her be selectively mute (like me!) in my writing. Rotom is like her service Pokémon in that sense. 
> 
> Also, both Hop and Gloria are 18! This isn’t just because I want to write some smut later, but because I’ve never liked the idea of ten year olds being on their own traveling the country and fighting potential bad guys.

Normally when Gloria holds a pokeball in her hand, she feels confident and strong enough to combat her every worry. Becoming a trainer- though one with only three badges under her belt- has introduced her to a sense of power she never had before, and one that’s probably changed her for the better already. Gloria may have started as an anxious girl who could never dream of leaving her small, sleepy village, but already she’s changed so much from that. 

She’s coming for Leon’s championship title, and proving herself to be an opponent worthy of such a battle even this early into her challenge.

Not right now though. All confidence plummeted from her heart and mind into her stomach, rolling about in it like a herd of wild wooloo. Palms sweaty and desperate to not drop the thing, Gloria clings to the pokeball so tightly her knuckles turn a pale white. 

So far Gloria’s trip to Hammerlock hasn’t exactly been as planned. She’d never been to this city before, and got distracted wandering around the castle-like buildings, the shops luring her in with their out-of-place lights surrounded by ancient stone. 

She was so distracted in fact, she hadn’t noticed immediately when she nearly collided into a trainer wandering near the entrance to route six. 

The entire meeting was a bit of a whirlwind, with the desperate boy asking her for her Applin, because apparently if you give the person you like an applin, you are destined to be together forever. Hearing this her face immediately burned with a blush, her mind wandering from the newly acquired applin in her bag, to her dearest friend… 

Applin didn’t seem that special. She adored it of course, it’s cute eyes and the way the apple wobbled about as the tail of the pokemon inched its way around. When she first saw it on route five she felt compelled to catch it, though she hadn’t really understood this impulse as she already had a team built up.

Now that she knows the story of applin, and their romantic implications, she can’t help but smile at the pokeball in her hand, feeling like catching the odd Pokemon was the right thing to do.

Would Hop like it? 

Her blush flourished, burning so hot in her cheeks she had to curl in on herself slightly, pressing the backs of her hands to her face to hide the silly grin from the two trainers battling not ten feet from her. Thank goodness Rhydon and Gastrodon were battling loud enough to cover any sounds she may have made. 

The longer she thought about it, waiting for Hop to finally come by on his way to Stow-on-Side, the more nervous she became though. Gloria isn’t entirely sure how long she’s sat here, but it’s gotten a bit darker and her thighs are practically glued to the bench now thanks to the slight sweat and lack of movement. 

Being together with Hop forever… Thinking about it brings a warmth to her stomach, and she can’t help the sweet smile growing on her face, immediately followed by her stomach curling when the possibility of Hop rejecting her confession bombards her daydreaming. 

Would he even like it? Would he hate it? Would he hate her?

The mere thought alone of Hop hating her brought tears to the corners of her eyes that she quickly wiped away. Hop wouldn’t hate her, right? That’s not like him at all. That’s just her mind being overly negative. 

Right?

“Glo? You okay?” 

The sound of his soft voice knocked her out of her internal turmoil with such force it made her jump and slip off the wooden bench she was perched on. She waved her arms around, trying to regain her balance, but it was too late, she landed on her bottom in the grass with a light thud. 

Not too concerned for her clothing or the fact her thighs felt like she just forcibly peeled them from the smooth wood, Gloria immediately looked down at her hands, and sighed in relief when she saw the pokeball still held tight in her grip. 

Hop snorted, doing his best to hold in a laugh and failing slightly as he held a hand out to her. 

“We can’t both be off our games, Glo.” He laughed, his eyes looking a little tired despite the smile on his face. 

Bede flashed in her mind quickly, his words about beating Hop in a battle reigniting a fire in Gloria as she stared up at Hop, all friendliness and passion. Next time she battles Bede she’ll have to exchange a few words with the insufferable prick. No one picks on Hop and crushes his spirit and gets away with it. 

“ You going to stare all day? Come on Glo, you’re going to get your dress dirty. Up you get, come on now.” 

Cradling the pokeball to her chest with one had, Gloria accepted his hand, enjoying the warmth of his body when he pulled her up, and accidentally into his chest. It took Gloria a moment to move back, wanting to nuzzle into the fur trimming his jacket but forcing herself to step back. 

Hop didn’t let go of her hand though, he simply smiled at her, head cocked to the side. 

“So what has you in a twist?” 

This is it. This is the moment to give him the applin. This was as good a time as any, and she had been waiting for so long after all specifically for this. 

Realising this, Gloria froze. Dread filled her as every possible bad reaction Hop could possibly have flashed through her mind. Hop was more than a crush, even with her newer feelings, he was her most precious friend and now someone who pushed her in her gym challenge. If he really did hate it? If he turned her down in the worst way? 

This is silly. He wouldn’t hate her- but she’s being silly too, right? She’s walking into rejection isn’t she? Anxiety kicked her mind into overdrive, and her hands began to tremble as her mind worked to make this worse even at the cost of reality.

Even though she knows it’s wrong and that she’s the one fretting over something that wouldn’t happen, she can’t help the tremors wracking her body. 

Never one to let a moment go unspoken, he stares from her hand to her face, not letting go of her hand as though to point out the shaking.

“Gloria?” 

The sound of her full name on his lips immediately demanded her attention, her averted gaze finally meeting his. She tried to keep her cool, but the heat on her face told her she wasn’t all that successful. 

“You’re acting a bit dodgy, what’s wrong?” 

She’s never before had problems talking to Hop. Strangers? Sure. Thank goodness for Rotom to speak for her or she’d never get anything done. Hop was different though, she always felt safe with him, even when he led her on adventures or races she didn’t necessarily want to go on. So for her words to fail her now… 

Hop leaned in a bit closer, voice dropping to a whisper. 

“Do you need to be alone? We can ask Raihan to borrow a room or something, Sonia is probably still around if you need her?”

Her eyes slipped from his, landing on their shoes as she tried to will away the numbness on her tongue and speak to Hop, she can still feel his eyes on her, inspecting her closely. 

“Do you need Rotom? He’s in your phone right? What will help you right now?”

He’s still so kind to her, even when she’s panicking over nothing. He doesn’t know that, sure. But she knows. She knows how stupid this is, how dumb it is for her brain to focus on terrible possibilities more than even being able to breathe. 

“Is she alright?”

At these new voices, Gloria flinched, inching closer into Hop to hide from the eyes of strangers. Hop glanced over at the trainers, who now stopped battling and were watching the pair closely, stepping closer. 

Without another word, his hand clenched hers tightly, and Gloria watched as his feet moved, then hers- his grip forcing her to follow along with him as he wandered deeper into the park area around them, leading Gloria to a small flight of stairs hidden in the shadows of the hedges and down towards the river. 

When they reached the small platform where people would normally fish from, Hop pulled her down so they sat at the edge, feet dangling off the stone and teasing the water's surface. 

No more eyes on them and no more perked ears angled their way, Hop took a deep breath, and turned to Gloria, leaning towards her slightly. 

“Better?” 

Hop really knows her so well. So much better than anyone else she’s ever met. He knew exactly what to do to help her, and she’d do anything to do the same for him. 

Ever since they started the Gym Challenge, they haven’t spent much time together at all. Considering they used to be attached at the hip while in Postwick, the distance was starting to eat away at her. Gloria has had Hop with her for nearly all eighteen years of her life, to suddenly be without him was less than ideal for her. 

Finally Gloria managed to look up at him again, leaning against him slightly so her shoulder brushed his. 

“Better.”

At hearing her voice, a genuine smile graced Hop’s face, and he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. 

“Now let's have it. What happened?” He asked, keeping his voice purposely light and joking. “Was it Team Yell or something? Or Bede? I’ll fight ‘em both if they hurt you. Even if I’d rather forget Bede’s face. And everything attached.” 

Gloria quickly shook her head. 

“No- it’s not them. I did it to myself.”

Hop let go of her hand briefly, and smooshed Gloria’s cheeks with both of his. 

“I’ll fight you too, making my best mate feel bad? How dare you.” He said, mushing her face more and forcing a laugh to erupt from Gloria’s contorted lips. 

“I don’t start fights I can’t win.” Gloria said the best she could with Hop tugging on her cheeks. 

“Very good. Now then, now that we’ve got the culprit, is there something I can do?” 

Gloria stared at Hop for a moment, and then another. They were so close together, and with him holding her face like this, forcing her to look into his eyes… 

Time slowly stretched as she stared at him, the weight of the nearly forgotten pokeball in her hand suddenly increasing and making itself known. 

“And just like that I’ve lost you.” Hop sighed, voice raised and dramatically solemn as he shook his head. 

Goosebumps sprang forth across Gloria’s skin as Hop allowed his hands to quickly trace from her cheeks down, down her shoulders and arms to linger at her hands when he paused. 

Not realising she was so entranced by his touch, Gloria jumped when she felt his fingers lightly touch the pokeball she was clinging to for dear life, having nearly forgotten the damned thing. 

“What’s this? You catch a new one or is this someone I already know?” 

Oh good god how is she going to do this- it’s the perfect opportunity- he’s even touching the ball all she has to do is make him take it and she can play it off from there, right? 

“Oh- it’s- um-“ 

Hop met her eyes again, a grin on his face as he watched her stammer and blush. 

“What, too nervous to tell your greatest rival?” 

The word ‘rival’ stung, and Gloria was reminded that as kind as Hop is it’s not from the same place as her own feelings. 

He values her as a friend, but also a rival in battles and nothing more. 

It hurts, but she tries to press on. 

“You just want to know what to use against it don’t you?” She said with a teasing lilt to her voice, forcing herself to smirk and lean in slightly, willing away a blush when he leaned in too. Hop mimicked her smile, and playfully shrugged, feigning innocence. 

“What, me? Never.” 

They laughed for a moment, and Gloria gently rolled the pokeball in her hand. 

“Actually Hop, um, this is for you.” 

Hop’s smile instantly vanished, replaced with a genuine surprise that had Gloria struggling to hold back laughter. You’d think he’d never been given a gift before. 

“For me? Why?”

Ah shit he’s asking too many questions. Despite it being only one question. And completely reasonable. It just happens to be the one question she doesn’t want to answer. 

“I heard a story about it and learned it’s kinda rare. I wanted you to have it. No pressure though, if you don’t want it.” 

This isn’t a Hop you see often- stunned beyond words, unable to put together any sound as he just opens and closes his mouth, nothing coming out. Part of her wants to relish it and bask in her ability to rob Hop of his words, but also her blood boiled and rushed within her, begging her to move, to work off the sudden burst of anxiety and energy. 

Gloria looks down at their hands, and pushes the pokeball into Hop’s grip, closing his fingers around it and giving his hand a little pat. 

“There. All set.” She said, smiling when he lifted the ball and stared at it for a moment. 

“Glo, is- is this really okay with you?” 

“I got it for you. I want you to have it. Now. If you will excuse me, I have a badge to earn and I’ve waited around for you long enough now!” 

She took off, sprinting up the stairs, trying not to trip over them, and down route six as fast as she could to avoid facing Hop after he discovered what was in the pokeball. 

Does he even know its significance?

Well, that’s not a fun thought, and considering how she herself didn’t know applin’s hidden meaning when given as a gift, she really shouldn’t be surprised if Hop has no idea why she’s given it to him. 

Applin is a good team member after a while, but at first it’s not able to do much considering it’s still hiding in an apple, waiting to evolve. She should have given him an item he can use to evolve it too. Maybe it’s not too late to run back and give it to him. 

Or to deck him in the jaw and grab the damn thing before he has time to discover what it is, on the off chance he may know what it means to be given an applin. 

The more she replays the event in her head, thinking of the way Hop cared for her, and the look on his face when she gave him the pokeball, the better option two looks. 

Best case scenario: Hop knows what it means and returns the feelings. As nice as this would be, Gloria isn’t hoping for this, knowing it’s asking a bit much. 

Most likely scenario: Hop has no idea what it means, and stares at the mostly useless Applin while trying to find a nice way to say “Thanks but it’s a bit too weak to fit into my team”. 

Several possible worst case scenarios run through her mind, but Gloria refuses to give any of them attention. Her anxiety was entertained enough, and what’s done is done. No more fretting. 

Though, despite that Gloria can’t help but fidget with the hem of her grey sweater, biting her lip. 

Hopefully it works out, even if he doesn’t return the feelings.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven’t really written in so long it’s crazy... I’ve only just gotten back into it, so please let me know if I’ve messed something up or have typos!!


End file.
